Wow! Hard to believe it has already been one year, since I first launched manicartist89; Time sure went by incredibly fast.

Since this (and all subsequent Anniversaries) will fall just to the side of the New Year, I’ll begin a Tradition Online, which I’ve been using for myself nearly 20 years or more

You see, the Traditionally-established custom of “New Years Resolutions” is, in my way of Knowings, an Insidiously Destructive and Self-Defeating Practice, both Psychologically and Pathologically.

Over twenty years ago–recognizing its destructiveness–I began a new Tradition, which has served me quite well; rather than being Self-defeating and Deflating, my Practice is Uplifting, Heart-Warming, Encouraging, Strengthening…, all the Good Stuff the other one lacks.

On New Year’s Eve:

I Cleanse both my Physical, Spiritual and Ambiental Space, through Prayer, Incense Burning and Cleansing Body, Mind, and Home;

Once that’s done, my Spirit ready: I pick up my Journal, write a few Introductory Comments; I

Do a Mental Self-Assessment of the past year’s Successes, struggles, failures, and Overcoming Adversity (the latter being a really important one to acknowledge), Focusing Primarily on How Miraculous a Life this is, I’m experiencing–Listing only the Positive, Growth-Promoting, Successes, large and small;

I pick 10 of the Most Important and Meaningful, Perenially-Lasting Ones, List them one by one, with a one-liner commentary;

Re-Read them, Bless them, in Gratitude, Release them onto the Journal’s Page(s), all I’ve Victoriously Overcame, or (against all Odds), have Accomplished;

After that, I either Meditate for a short while, and/or pick-up my “Runes,” and do a Spread with a Simple, never-changing

Question: “What are the Aspects of the one or two most Salient, Important, Significant, or Paradigm-Shifting things, coming up in the Year beginning just now?”

I then, insert my Right Hand inside the Bag , as I Shake it, to ensure the Runes Stones are well mixed, I pay attention to the ones remaining on my palm–usually between 1 and 3 stones; (over the years, I’ve come to comprehend there are no such things as “true” randomness, nor “coincidences,”only the Universe’s means of Guiding us, one Epiphany at a time–and from my Personal Experience, I’ve come to Learn much about the “Meaning of Life”-stuff, we all grapple with, from time to time, simply through thisyearly practice.

The following year, I re-read the Runes info, from the Previous year, and am always floored by their accuracy, though every New Year’s spread appears cryptic and/or incomprehensible the day they’re cast, a year later, I’m always Shocked at their accuracy.

Thus, though it is not my place to insist everyOne should be Switching from a negative, self-esteem eroding practice such as “New Year’s Resolutions,” (or casting Runes), into the Uplifting, Encouraging, Self-Esteem-Strengthening, Positivity-building Practice, such what I call: “My Accomplishments List, for the Year 20__, “Life’s little Paradigm, guess what’ll be my First Item on this 2015 years’ List?

Manicartist89‘s 1-year Anniversary, of course–and I have All of You Who have Liked my Posts, made comments on this or that–I’ve even Enjoyed and Learned from, the Little Private “Sparring Argument” I had with another Blogger!

May the New Year of 2016 (a “9” in Numerology, indicating the Ending of one Cycle and the beginning of a New One, imagine It: Pregnant with New Possibilities, New Choices, New Roads to be Taken…, how exciting is that?), Bring to You, Yours, Your Loved Ones, (and Yes: even greatest Teachers: Your Detractors, Your Enemies), Everything Your Innermost Heart Wishes for, especially that which is for Yours and their Highest Good, Spiritual Growth, Evolution, and Experience of that which is the. Highest of All Laws: “Treating All, as You Too would like to Be Treated,” (in other words: Love–Total Acceptance, Unconditional, Unjudgemental, Non-Interfering…–💕LOVE💗

You’re now Reading the Musings of Your newly-Minted “Shihen Gendai (Level IV, Sage/Teacher) Certified Reiki Master;” a culmination of nearly three (3) years Training and ReikiShare Practicing, under the Wonderful Mentorship of Mark Flamand (he’s got lots of Titles, but is not big on them 😉 in this Respect, I’ll follow in his Footsteps, and not even place my (well-earned, mind you) “Reiki Master” Title in my own mini-Business Cards.

While discussing it with someone the title “Sage” was suggested, to which I replied: “Wouldn’t that be a little too ‘Self-Aggrandizing‘?” Their reply: “Not in Your Case, it isn’t!…”

Mulling over it, several days, I finally came to Agree with him. You see, at first, it wasn’t my Intention on obtaining Level IV (Master), unless you plan on Teaching it. At the time I wasn’t planning to.

Two years went by, I progressed through Levels I, II, and III and by Level II, I found myself Frequently explaining Reiki to others–consequently, re-thinking my Choices, I Figured, having already been Teaching many Others the Basics of Reiki, anyway, at that point-and Only at that point, did I make the decision to take the “Master” Level.

One of the biggest reasons I didn’t feel the need for this Title was the fact, I’d been Noticing Masters came in many Levels of Aware-Wakefulness; Of Skills; Of…(I can’t quite Put my Finger…)… on the Ineffable Quality–in conducting their Lives– I believed a Master ought to adhere to…!

I don’t mean to be Judgemental, but in our (Reiki) Community I met way too many “Masters” Who neither Walk their Talk, (or Title), nor have any wish for Engaging in Teaching, yet their Business Card has “Master” in Bold Letters while their Name below is Plain Type. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Thus, with such a Gratuitous, enormous Proliferation of this Term, I decided not to use it!! I can choose the Term “Sage,” w/o feeling I’m Self-Agrandizing my ego. After all, this same Person had already been telling me I was a “Sage,” a “Teacher,” and “…when will you accept ‘donning’ that hat?” was his frequent question.

Problem is: Life keeps getting in the way of my moving–the latest, being finding out that only is there Nerve Damage, between my feet and spine; I’ve “mysteriously” developed “Scoliosis,” never before detected, and worst yet, learning that my “Falling” and “Walking as if I’m drunk” is partially ‘cuz “…apparently one of my legs is longer than the other…”

Why did it take 60 years, a 5-yr stint in a wheelchair (actually, 3 chairs), a failed marriage, when my Rock-Singing husband again felt Music’s Irresistible Siren call (look up Warren Jeffrey Motter), and, as a Musician myself, I understood it, and though initially I missed him, of course; eventually, I got over it, and am Happy for him following his Muse.

Why did it take at least two (2) Decades’-worth of searching for the answer, from Doctor, to Doctor, to Doctor, from Houston, from York, to Hershey, to Johns Hopkins, back to York…, (I’ll finish this later, or I’ll be late for Church tomorrow…)

Meanwhile, Shut-off your “Golden Ears” and enjoy the Music, overlooking the fact my Baldwin piano is now untuneable. The Song and ITS Message are What Matters.

Namastè,

(Note, my Posts, by nature, will reflect what is foremost in my mind, be it Health, Mental, Spiritual, Activist, etc. This blog is not meant to be in a Popularity Contest–and I know many of you feel the same way about your Blogs 😉
__________
(Entry from previous, failed post, introing same song:

Hi Everyone, Since I’m having soo much trouble Uploading this Video directly onto Gaea’s Midwife’s (Sister site to this one)–and since on my very first aattempt at Linking it with this Site…, I can “get” a hint: It appears the Universe wishes for this Musical Interlude be here, in my ma89 site, rather than the gaea’s midwife site.

So, here it is! Short and sweet; my 1995 Original Piece, “Angellis Traballium” (perhaps, sometime, soon, I’ll tell the Story of how it came into Existence, because I KNOW it’s a Story worth telling). Angellis Traballium by Clarisse

Hi Everyone, for over 20 years I’ve been working through the Maze that a Seeker–who is after a Whole-Life, Meaning of Life and such, type of thing, and not a fear-based/carrot on a stick type of “Spiritual” (as opposed to “religious”)–must come to terms that all those Insights, Epiphanies, (and so much more) I’ve Experienced, should become part of the “Commons,” (in other words:shared).

If all goes as planned, my first Entry will coincide with the Summer Solstice, and a little Surprise ;). I’ll be playing the piano during this morning’s Service’s Meditationm at a small Metaphysical Chapel, I go to, on Sundays. I like this Group a great deal, have many Friends, and enjoy our Fellowship.

As for”Gaea’s Midwife” blog, I’ll strive to maintain both. This doesn’t mean I won’t continue writing here; I just felt that both “Mom” and “Baby Gaea” should have their Own, separate blog. Namastè, ma89 aka gaea’s midwife

Hi, Just to Share this Most Wonderful Conversation, (Interview), between (the Mystic) Andrew Harvey, and his Interviewer.
(Alert: This Video is to be Sipped, in Slow Doses, not Gulped in one go). One thing I’ve been Learning, of late, has been to “sloooow dooooowwwnn,” (something we, Westerners tend to forget, ignore, consider “laziness!” May I humbly recommend you all “Think again!”

I’d never heard of this guy, before tonight, (and at first found everything I could, wrong with him, and his appearance), yet, continuing to *Listen* to what he had to say, not what he looked like, I was able to overcome that barrier, and actually Learn, and Question my Own Values–something I’ve been doing a lot of lately–put them aside, and Learn from what he had to say.